A respirator mask with a mask body designed as a full mask has become known from West German Patent Specification No. DE-PS 17,08,046. This prior art respirator mask comprises a mask body with connection openings for filters and flutter valves and an internal half mask. The mask body is designed such that its shape, or the form in which it is manufactured, does not have to be changed when the connection ports for the filters or the flutter valves are to be installed. To achieve this, the mask body has desired points when needed and used to connect one or several filters or one or several flutter valves as desired. A defined respirator mask configuration is manufactured such that a single-piece mask body without openings is first prepared, recesses are subsequently punched through in the desired positions, and filters and/or flutter valves are fastened at the connections thus formed.
One drawback of the prior-art respirator mask is that the field of application of the respirator mask, e.g., as a single-filter respirator mask or as a two-filter respirator mask, is defined by the openings, once punched. Conversion to another respirator mask configuration is possible only if connecting ports that are no longer needed are closed by auxiliary parts. If, for example, a two-filter respirator mask with one flutter valve is converted into a single-filter respirator mask, an additional flutter valve must be inserted in place of the second filter, or a separate closing plug must be placed into the connection opening in the mask body. In addition, the prior art respirator mask involves the risk that recesses will be inadvertently punched through during the use of the respirator, and the respirator mask will therefore no longer be suitable for use because of the leak developed.
A half mask with connection openings for fastening filters and flutter valves has become known from West German Utility Patent No. DE-GM 16,25,097. According to a first embodiment of this prior art reference, two filters are arranged on the side of the half mask, and the flutter valve is located on the front side of the half mask in front of the mouth. In a second embodiment, only one filter is to be inserted into the connection opening of the flutter valve, and the breathing air is allowed to flow off via a rubber lip valve on the underside of the half mask. The lateral connection openings are closed in this state.
It is disadvantageous in the prior-art half mask that conversion from the configuration with two filters to that with a single filter is possible only if the connection openings that are no longer needed on the side are sealed by means of auxiliary parts. In the opposite case, i.e., in the case of conversion from one filter to two filters, a loose flutter valve must be installed in the half mask in place of the single filter, and the rubber lip valve on the underside must be closed. Consequently, the possibility of conversion is limited by the availability of certain auxiliary components. This method of conversion has not proved to be usable in practical application.